Lower Health Care Spending in 2010 Is a Lull Before a One-Year Spike Hits in 2014

National health care spending grew by 3.9 percent in 2010, a historic low, according to a new analysis by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services actuaries. The study assumes that medical care spending will spike in 2014 because of the overhaul law, but will resume growing each year at rates expected if the measure had not been enacted. Read more »

Witnesses Clash over Impact of Health Care Law on Small Business

Witnesses at a House subcommittee hearing offered sharply differing views of the impact of the health care law on small businesses, with a Burger King franchisee saying it will force him to turn all his workers into part-time employees and a law professor challenging claims that the overhaul will lead many businesses to drop coverage. Read more »

Medicaid Exchange Rule Expected Soon

Medicaid officials will soon issue a proposed rule that top agency official Cindy Mann said would outline the "rules of the road for eligibility and enrollment" for the program's 2014 expansion under the health care overhaul law. Read more »

Report: Rural Areas Have Lower-Quality Health Care Than Suburbs and Cities

Rural physicians and consumers rate the quality of care in their towns lower than people in urban and suburban areas, and their impressions are validated by data in a new report released by UnitedHealth Group. Read more »

Democrats Want New MLR Standards to Apply to Medigap Policies

Two Democratic lawmakers introduced bills in the House and Senate that would require Medigap plans to meet the same medical loss ratio (MLR) standards as private insurers. Read more »

CMS Offers $3.8 Billion in Co-Op Loans

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) posted an announcement that it’s offering $3.8 billion in loans under the health care overhaul to form consumer-run health care cooperatives. Read more »